Photonics systems are widespread and can be used for implementing optical or electro-optical functionalities in a compact manner. One potential photonics system targeting tele- and datacom, as well as optical sensing, is based on silicon. Silicon photonics leverages the CMOS manufacturing infrastructure to realize photonic integrated circuits, typically using indirect bandgap group-IV semiconductor materials to realize passive waveguide functionality as well as active electro-optical functionality such as light modulation and light detection.
For applications using light generation and light amplification, and to a lesser extent also high-performance light modulation and absorption, direct bandgap III-V material waveguides may be used to realize such active functionalities. Nevertheless the manufacturing and integration of high-quality III-V semiconductor material waveguides on the silicon photonics platform is challenging and cumbersome. Although a number of attempts have been made in the past, there is no appropriate solution available yet.